Existing toy illuminating devices, such as Lite Brite® (Hasbro, Inc., Pawtucket, R.I.), employ a perforated screen or peg board that receives colored plastic pegs. An opaque mask, such as black paper, is placed over the perforated screen. A user inserts a colored plastic peg into the perforated screen, puncturing the black paper with the colored plastic peg. A light source behind the perforated screen shines light through the perforations of the black paper and illuminates the colored plastic pegs, which creates a colored light design on the opposite side of the perforated screen, as is known in the art.
The colored plastic pegs used in the existing toy illuminating devices are of a relatively small size that presents a choking hazard for young children. The colored plastic pegs are also easily lost or broken. The black paper is a consumable item, often used for only one colored light design and then discarded. In a high usage environment, for example, a public museum, cost of the black paper substantially increases a cost of operation of the toy illuminating device. Existing toy illuminating devices also lack visibility from multiple angles. A user must stand on an opposing side to the light source in order to view the colored light design.
Thus, a need exists for a toy illuminating device that is large enough to provide a museum-quality immersion experience that will withstand the rigors of a very high traffic environment; allow child and adult to work on the unit together physically; and have pegs that are not a choke hazard. A further need exists for a toy illuminating device that is re-usable with a reduced number of consumables.